2009 Smart Fortwo

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE VEHICLE UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE KNOCKING SOUND AND SMOKE CONTINUED. THE HORN AND ALARM BEGAN TO SOUND. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND FLAMES APPEARED UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DECLARED UN-DRIVABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

WITHIN THE SPACE OF THREE MONTHS, IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING MY SMARTCAR, MY DASH DISPLAY HAS GONE FROM SHOWING D (FOR DRIVE) TO N AND THEN FLASHING THREE VERTICAL BARS. I HAVE LOST ALL CONTROL OF DRIVING THE CAR AND LUCKILY THERE WAS SPACE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO COAST TO A STOP. WHEN TRYING TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON, THE THREE BARS REMAIN. THERE IS A WAY THROUGH THE SHIFTER TO RESTART THE CAR OR AT LEAST GETTING IT INTO NEUTRAL. A SERIES OF PUMPING THE BRAKE, TURNING THE START KEY AND TRYING TO MOVE THE SHIFTER BACK AND FORTH THROUGH GEARS. EVENTUALLY, THE CAR WILL START. UNFORTUNATELY, THE THREE BARS OF DEATH (AS NICKNAMED ON THE SMART CAR FORUMS) CAN HAPPEN FOR ANY NUMEROUS TYPES OF FAULTS SUCH AS WEAK BATTERY TO FAULTY COMMUNICATION WITH THE TRANSMISSION, TO HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING OPERATING UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. THE LIST IS LONG. THE PROBLEM IS MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING AND THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

I AM ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE FEB 09 (MANF 12/08) AND ITS NOW 7 YRS OLD AND REQS NEW BATTERY. LIFTING UP FLOOR MAT TO REMOVE OLD BATTERY I NOTICED STICKY RED OILY SUBSTANCE (UNKOWN SOURCE BUT NOW SUSPECT BATTERY VAPOR CONDENSATION) AROUND TOP OF COMPARTMENT (MOSTLY WHERE HOLDDOWN BRACKET CONNECTS). REMOVING THE BATTERY THEN EXPOSED CORRODED FLOOR PAINT FROM BATTERY ACID. IN ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN UP THE MESS, I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY VENT TUBE EXITING THE FLOOR. THIS TUBE HAD A SPIDER NEST INSIDE ABOUT 2" FROM OPENING. WD40 DID NOT PENETRATE NESTS END SEALS & HAD TO EXTRACT SPIDER & NEST MANUALLY. I CAN NOT PROVE THIS IS SAFETY RELATED BUT IM WONDERING IF OTHER VENTED BATTERY CARS HAVE THIS VENT BLOCKAGE-CORROSION PROBLEM AND ALSO IF THESE BLOCKED FUMES WERE TOXIC TO OCCUPANTS OF MY CAR? I TOOK SOME PHONE PHOTO EVIDENCE. ON UNRELATED PROBLEM. IN THE LAST 1-2 YEARS I ALSO HAVE THE PEELING TOP CLEARCOAT PROBLEM REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS OF 2009 RED PAINT (NON METALIC) WHICH IS PRIMARILY ON HOOD PANEL & OTHER TOP SURFACES EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUN WHICH LEAVES THE DULL RED BASE COLOR OF THE PLASTIC PANELS. (THIS IS ONLY EXHIBITED ON 2009 RED MODELS). *TR

THERE IS THIS HORRIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE 2009 SMART FORTWO RALLY RED! THE CLEARCOAT IS PEELING FOR NO REASON AND THERE IS AT LEAST 60 PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE WITH PROOF AND STATEMENTS TO PROVE IT! MERCEDES/SMART SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL OR REPLACE THESE PANELS FREE OF CHARGE! THIS RUINS THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAR AND EVEN THE DEALERSHIP WONT HELP OUT BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY OR IM NOT "LOYAL ENOUGH" TO THE DEALERSHIP! MY AND EVERYONE ELSE WITH A RED FORTWOS CLEAR COAT IS PEELING FOR NO EXACT REASON AT ALL, THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW WITH VERY THIN CLEAR COAT, I UNDERSTAND IF IT WAS JUST A FEW CARS BUT WE ARE TALKING MORE THAN 60 CARS AND LETS NOT FORGET THE SAFETY RECALL THAT WAS MADE IN 2008 FOR MESSED UP PAINT AS WELL! FIX THIS MERCEDES! I HONESTLY BELIEVE SOMETHING BAD CAN HAPPEN IN THIS CAR, MAKES ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE

WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY AND I START IT AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE GEAR INDICATOR INSTEAD OF SHOWING "R" SHOWS BLANK. I HAVE TO TURN OFF ENGINE AND TRY AGAIN. I SUCCEED IN ABOUT 3 TRIES. THERE ARE TIMES THAT WHEN I SHIFT INTO REVERSE THE GEAR INDICATOR DISPLAYS "N". THIS EPISODE HAPPENS ABOUT TWO TIMES A WEEK. MY OBSERVATION IS THAT IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE TIME OF DAY - WHETHER MORNING, AFTERNOON, OR EVENING; OR, COLD OR HOT DAY. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR AT RANDOM.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE CITY HIGHWAY - ROUTE 283 TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT AS I TURNED MY CAR STALLED OUT COMPLETELY. TRYING TO TURN OVER IT WOULD TRY TO START BUT NEVER START. CAR HAS JUST OVER 17K MILES ON IT. THANKFULLY I WASN'T IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BY SOMEONE REAR-ENDING ME BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED SPEED AND STALL. I HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE PUSH ME UP TO A PARKING LOT WHILE I WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. A MONTH LATER I AM STILL WAITING ON A REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP. THE ORIGINAL BOSCH KEEPS BLOWING FUSES AND STALLING OUT. MY MECHANIC TEST DROVE IT AND HE HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO HIS SHOP AS WELL BECAUSE OF A STALL/BLOWN FUSE BECAUSE OF THE FUEL PUMP ISSUE. THESE FUEL PUMPS SEEM TO BE ON BACK ORDER BECAUSE LOTS OF SMART CARS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AT THE MOMENT WITH THEIR BOSCH FUEL PUMPS.

SEAT BELTS FOR BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES BECAME TWISTED WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. DESPITE ATTEMPTS BY SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO UNTWIST AND REPAIR THE MECHANISM THE SEAT BELTS REMAIN TWISTED. SEAT BELT LATCH ON DRIVER'S SIDE FINALLY FAILED AT ABOUT 25,000 MILES. BOTH SEAT BELTS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE. ALSO, THE CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE PROPERLY. IT SOMETIMES TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE.